CappuccinoandArtJournal

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Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Altered Passport Project

In the fall, I am usually dusting off my own passport and getting ready to go on a trip.This year, my trip sadly got canceled so I may have to send some others off to travel instead of going myself...The travel journal was all prepped and ready...

I love to travel and I've always loved passports....little books filled with exotic rubber stamps? How could I not like them?So, I started picking them up any time I got a chance....and one thing lead to another....and....I started creating fantasy passports for imaginary people going on imaginary trips...just my type...

When I found these small, vintage photos at the Vintage Paper Fair I knew these ladies were going to have to go on a trip.

I change the photos of the travelers. After all, who ever likes their passport photo?We need new and glamorous photos for our fantasy trips.

I collect small photos (especially when I travel in other countries) to add -- and I add in rubber stamps and postage stamps and really, anything that seems to suit the trip...

Sometimes I give the pages a watercolor wash....or collage on them...

A trip to Morocco inspired this page....I didn't see any camels but I saw donkeys.

A France inspired page...

Those two ladies look like they would enjoy an English Tea - so I sent them to the UK.(real immigration stamps)

I always leave any existing stamps and visas showing and work with them. This is a real visa for a trip to Japan so the two pages are Japanese.

Japan Passport picked up at the VPFI found a Swedish one too....You want to see them? Let me know in the comments.

This Japanese passport had A LOT of wonderful stamps from entering and departing Japan....I think I will just leave them as-is. So cool.One thing that really bugs me is that many times I just breeze thru immigration and my passport doesn't even get stamped at all. I really hate that.If I am talking to a person I ask to get it stamped, butI took a train thru a few countries in Eastern Europe and it was oddly like there were no borders,No stamps in my passport at all....

A Russian PassportDon't you love that handwriting? I am going to have fun with this one. Since I've been to Russia I have some wonderful bits of old ephemera from flea markets there to add....

I find that passports are difficult to find. They are very expensive on eBay. I have gotten lucky a few times at the Vintage Paper Fair.But -- that Japanese store - Muji - has little, inexpensive notebooks (pictured) that come in red or blue and are the exact size as many passports, rounded corners and all.So now I think I will be making a few of my own own passports -- I wonder if I will have to invent a new country?Himmmm......I could give a workshop in my studio on making these......that would be a lot of fun.Would you come?I am kinda sad because of my trip....but the best remedy for that is making a lot of art in my studio so that's where I am headed off to now...Ciao bella.SEND GOOD MAIL -- GET GOOD MAIL

So sorry to hear that you had to cancel your trip. Your altered passports are wonderful! The hair, the hats, the handwriting - all fabulous! If I wasn't on the other side of the US I would be at your passport workshop in a heartbeat. Please show us the Japanese and Swedish passports!

Thanks so much, cjsrq -- I wish you could come on over to my studio too. I will show the other passports after I do some more work on them....I found a vintage Japanese photo album so I am adding photos to the passport...

As usual, another great post with another inspirational project! I've been able to pick up a few passports in the hopes of one day having some creative idea in how to alter them...thanks for sharing and I'd love to see more. I'd be the first one at your passport workshop if it wasn't so far away. So sorry about your trip cancellation, but I'm sure another trip isn't that far away.

Happy Mail Day -- you have passports? Now you can get busy and send someone on a trip! I don't know when another trip will be -- I am kind of reeling from having to cancel this one. I will post more on the passports as the project continues.....

I just fell in love! Loving this work. A few months ago I started on my own expired passports. You raise the bar with your fantasy passports. Totally. But where do you find expired passports of other people from so many countries? Endless ideas.

nazelet -- so happy to see a new "face" here commenting. And also glad you are altering passports too. I have found all the passports at the SF Vintage Paper fair but they are hard to find. Very $$$$ on eBay,

I so love these passports,and just the other day I found some of my old ones as well as an old one belonging to my sister.I going ,well my passport is going on my dream trip and who knows where else.I agree that it's not as fun now cause you don't get as many stamps in them as you use to.

Brilliant! I too make stories about the journals do. There needs to be a central theme and/or a story to make everything come together. Altered passports are a great idea because of the limited pages and space, and because you already know it's going to be about travel. So nice that you change out the ID photos at the front. He or she gets a brand new identity and an exciting life!! Love it :-)

Oh yes -- a new identity and a better photo! You know what they say about looking like your passport photo.....not good....the fantasy travelers often visit the countries I have visited.....and that is quite a lot.

Although I was saddened by your trip being cancelled, I loved the altered passports you have created. You find the absolute BEST ephemera, too. I am truly impressed with each page. I adored the fact you left the original stamps showing, too. That is more meaningful, in my estimation.

I was truly impressed with this, and if I lived closer, I would join you for a workshop in your studio.

Elizabeth -- I sure wish you could join me in my studio too. I agree, the original stamps need to show. I do find some good ephemera to add in -- and I believe in using the papers I find not just keeping them in a drawer.....thanks for the comment.

And I forgot to say that yes, I'd definitely be up for a workshop date. I have some really nice original pieces of ephemera that I save for exclusive projects (like I mentioned here: https://margaretemiller.wordpress.com/2016/06/08/a-collage-challenge/ ), that would work perfectly in an altered passport project. Just let me know where to sign up ;-)

Cindy -- I know I have mentioned it a few times....I was waiting to do a bunch of travel related posts starting now....but my plans changed. I thought I'd still show the passports I have been working on.

These are really great! Sometimes good things happen when you think bad things happen. My Dad used to always say, nothing is all good or all bad, just wait and see. I'm looking for my old passports to give you one.

Dori -- well, thank you so much. I hope you find a passport soon but there is always the Muji possibility too. I want to have a bunch of passports from all over all filled up with art -- I love when they are fat and happy with ephemera inside. xo

In answer to your question/comment about the yearbook page, this image was from a magazine and not something from my past. I suspect the images are from an older era than mine. I may FEEL old some days, but I think these kids are from the 40s or 50s, truly before my time.

Simply wonderful, Pamela. Passport art is very unique indeed. Creating your own small worlds of fantasy and travel. Great job! Ahaha I will check out the Muji stationery now that you mention those notebooks....

I like your idea of inventing your own country! That could be crazy fun. This project reminded me of an old bank book deposit I set aside to alter - those have nice pages and covers, too and are probably easier to find, but a little smaller than passports.

Dear Pamela, I am so sorry to hear that your trip was cancelled. I hope you can arrange for another trip very soon. I would LOVE to join you for a "Passport" workshop some day! These are so wonderful! Cindy